Holloway
Automotive got off to a slow start at the Preston International Tournament on
Friday morning falling 3-1 to the London Nationals. Stratford gave up too many
odd man rushes and breakaways to keep pace. Mitchell LaFay eventually got the
warriors on the board in the third on a powerplay, assisted by Aly McLeod and
Cohen LeSouder. Ryan Bell played a solid game between the pipes to keep the
score respectable.
The Warriors rebounded well from the loss outscoring their opponents 19-1 in the following two round robin games. Game two saw the Warriors face the Niagara Falls Canucks with game three opponents being the Duffield Devel. Good puck movement and great puck pressure attributed to the team’s success. Goal scorers over the two matches included; Adam Monteith(4), Scotty Thornton(3), Jared Lesouder(3), Aly McLeod(2), Adam Windsor(2), Noah Rusen-Steele(2), Tyler Pogson(1), Callan Ferguson(1) and Mitchell LaFay(1). Assists went to; Kaden Eybergen(5), Mathew Whittemore (2), Riley Mathieson, Bryce Lee, Alex Cassone, Lesouder(6), McLeod(2), Thornton(2), LaFay(2), Windsor(2), Monteith, Pogson, and Ferguson. Goaltenders Hardy Westman and Ryan Bell made key saves when called upon supporting the offensive explosion.
The Warriors went on to win a see saw battle with the Meadowvale Mohawks 5-3 in the quarter finals on Saturday. After a shaky start that resulted in a 1-0 deficit 8 seconds into the game, the Warriors rebounded with a goal 20 seconds later by Aly McLeod assisted by Mathew Whittemore. The teams then traded goals to end the first, Warriors scoring by Adam Monteith assisted by Mitchell LaFay. Noah Rusen-Steele scored the only goal of the second period assisted by Whittemore. The third period saw the Warriors battle hard and were rewarded with the eventual game winner by LaFay who scored on a great breakaway pass from Callan Ferguson. After the Mohawks came back to get within one goal, Rusen-Steele scored a gritty insurance goal assisted by Cohen Lesouder and McLeod. Strong puck pressure and hustle was displayed by Kaden Eybergen up front and Lesouder and Ferguson on defense to reward goalie Hardy Westman with the victory on his 10th birthday.
Sunday found the Warriors facing the West Mall Lightning in semi-final action. The first period was scoreless with Stratford controlling the majority of play. Jared LeSouder finally broke the goose egg late in the second with a nice wrist shot, assisted by Mitchell LaFay and Cohen LeSouder. The Lightning answered back midway through the third period to even the score. Stratford continued to pour on the pressure, but were unable to get one by the West Mall goalie. With ten seconds remaining in regulation, the Warriors were stunned as a weak shot from a Lightning defenseman, redirected off a couple of skates, snuck into the back of the Stratford net. The unfortunate loss thwarted a much anticipated re-match with the North London Nationals, the eventual tournament champions.